Hit Factory

Apollo 13 feat. Dadcore Cinema Club

Masters of the Middlebrow and hosts of Dadcore Cinema Club Podcast, Brandon & Charlie, join us to discuss the Space Race drama 'Apollo 13', a technically masterful ode to the patriotism & resolve of Cold War America released as Boomers were forced to reckon with the ideological drift of the 90s - Helmed by one of our most proficient journeyman, Ron Howard. The crew take to the LEM and avoid gimbal lock while discussing the film's blend of distinctive Dadcore characteristics, the i...

Contact feat. Aaron Thorpe *TEASER*

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PREVIEW: Secs, Guys and Videotapes #63 w/ Parents Just Don't Understand

**Our April Fools Episode** A special advance preview of Aaron & Carlee's new limited series, Secs, Guys, and Videotapes: an exploration of Steven Soderbergh's 1998 crime thriller 'Out Of Sight'...one second at a time. On this episode, the Hit Factory hosts are joined by Chris Woodward and Kurt Schiller of the excellent Parents Just Don't Understand Podcast to explore second number 63. It's a wide-ranging discussion that advances the theory of the Soviet Second (an interval roughly ...

Lone Star *TEASER*

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Out For Justice feat. Jeremy Herbert

Writer and filmmaker Jeremy Herbert joins us to discuss the fascinatingly flawed 1991 action thriller, 'Out For Justice' and its star Steven Seagal, a singularly minted Hollywood asshole. We examine the film's lofty ambitions to transcend the limitations of both its genre and star with weighty monologues and largely ornamental subplots and characters, explore the bizzare, brief rise of Seagal's star power (and its equally quick descent) through the 90s, and consider the deeper impli...

Point Break feat. Eli Olsberg *TEASER*

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BONUS: Chuck Klosterman's 'The Nineties' feat. Alex Ross

University of Toronto PhD candidate and writer Alex Ross joins to discuss culture writer Chuck Klosterman's latest collection 'The Nineties'. The book is a confounding, myopic work that frequently reveals both the sociopolitical blind spots of its author & the greater failures of Gen X to understand the decade's ramifications. We talk through the frenzied, dizzying construction of the book around a hodgepodge of discrete cultural markers, the books troubling lack of anything approac...

Hoop Dreams feat. Shawn Glinis

We're joined by Shawn Glinis, co-host of Wiseman Podcast, to discuss a defining nonfiction film of the 1990s - 'Hoop Dreams'. The film is a singular and heartbreaking portrait of urban living, the education system, race & class that also succeeds as an incredibly gripping sports movie told through the journeys of its two subjects - Arthur Agee and William Gates. Topics include the film's litany of fascinating subjects and secondary characters, filmmaker Steve James's masterful abili...

Jade *TEASER*

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DOUBLE FEATURE: Miller's Crossing & Barton Fink feat. Bill Ryan

Writer Bill Ryan returns to talk about a pair of early masterpieces from Joel & Ethan Coen - 1990's 'Miller's Crossing' and their follow up, 'Barton Fink,' released the following year. We discuss both films' stacked rosters of scene stealing performers, a rare occurence of "coolness" in the Coens' ouevre, and extol the value of trusting an artist with exemplary instincts even when you're not quite sure what to make of their work.  Follow Bill Ryan on Twitter Read and Subscribe to ...

Any Given Sunday feat. Abdul Malik *TEASER*

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But I'm A Cheerleader feat. Caroline Thompson

Caroline Thompson of the excellent movie podcast How Have You Not Seen joins us to discuss 'But I'm A Cheerleader' starring Natasha Lyonne & Clea DuVall. We talk the film's evolution from critically maligned coming-of-age comedy to Queer Canon Classic™, its sly anti-capitalist undertones, and the brilliant effect of comically satirizing one of the least funny places imaginable. Follow Caroline Thompson on Twitter Subscribe and listen to How Have You Not Seen and support the show ...

The Fifth Element feat. Pacino Pod *TEASER*

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The Piano feat. Bailey Herdé

Culture writer Bailey Herdé joins us to discuss 'The Piano', Jane Campion's brilliant period drama about yearning, desire, & passion set against the lush yet foreboding New Zealand wilderness. We chat about the film's pair of (unusual, but well-deserved) Oscar-winning central performances, its potent examination of 19th century colonialism through its male characters, and praise Campion's latest awards contender 'The Power of the Dog'. Follow Bailey Herdé on Twitter . . . . Our th...

Showgirls feat. Karinne Smith *TEASER*

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No Escape feat. Owen Morawitz

On our first episode of the new year, Owen Morawitz returns to discuss the 1994 action-thriller 'No Escape', a film set on the maximum security island prison of Absolom in the dystopian future of 2022. We discuss a few standout performances from the top-tier cast (including a rarely seen action hero version of Ray Liotta & best in show Stuart Wilson as the villainous Marek), how the film reflects contemporary liberalism's contradictory sympathies toward America's carceral system, an...

Strange Days feat. Dan Boeckner *TEASER*

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BONUS: The Matrix Resurrections feat. Aaron Thorpe

Writer and podcaster Aaron Thorpe joins us (for once) firmly in the 21st century to discuss the 'The Matrix Resurrections', the divisive latest entry in the franchise. We examine director Lana Wachowski's incisive commentary on the commodification of revolutionary ideas, her vision of a less overt- but more insidiously oppressive- system of control, and the ways in which the film challenges the neoliberal hegemony of modern blockbusters through its subversive modes of storytelling. ...

Santa with Muscles feat. Zach Vasquez

Writer and lifelong pro wrestling fan Zach Vasquez returns to discuss the 1996 Hulk Hogan holiday dud 'Santa with Muscles', executive produced by The Wolf of Wall Street himself, Jordan Belfort. Along with the film, we discuss the fractious history of the WWE, modern challengers to the promotion's hegemonic superiority, and the life and crimes of the man behind Hulkamania, Terry Eugene Bollea. Follow Zach Vasquez on Twitter. . . . . Our theme song is "Mirror" by Chris Fish

Office Space feat. Gus Lanzetta *TEASER*

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Breakdown feat. Parents Just Don't Understand

Kurt & Chris from Parents Just Don't Understand return to discuss the lean, mean and underseen 1997 thriller 'Breakdown' starring Kurt Russell, Kathleen Quinlan, and indelible character actor J.T. Walsh. We discuss the simple pleasures of discovering a great movie while watching cable TV, the film's economical mastery of multiple subgenres, and the 90s resurgence of hicksploitation cinema as managerial class gratification. Follow Kurt and Chris on Twitter. Follow Parents Just Don...

Gattaca feat. Emma Berquist *TEASER*

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Lost Highway feat. Jonah Koslofsky

We're joined by film writer and filmmaker Jonah Koslofsky to go long on the 1997 neo-noir mindbender Lost Highway, a turning point in the career of David Lynch which would lay the stylistic groundwork that would come to define his output through the next 20+ years. We discuss the filmmaker's singular (and unexpectedly humanist) aesthetic, the futile endeavor of talking about David Lynch literally, and how the director's ideological influences propagate art that antagonizes the thres...

The Pelican Brief feat. Jesse Hawken *TEASER*

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Bottle Rocket

We're guestless first the first time in a while to discuss Wes Anderson's feature directorial debut, 'Bottle Rocket'. We detail the film's turbulent origins from a 16mm short film that played Sundance to a DOA box office dud, praise the breakout performances from fledgling stars Owen & Luke Wilson, and position the movie adjacent to other 90s indie breakouts about the listlessness of youth at The End of History. Then, we briefly consider the case of Anderson's staunchest detractors ...

True Lies feat. Jacob Bacharach *TEASER*

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SCREAM feat. Lindsay Lee Wallace

What's your favorite scary movie? Culture writer Lindsay Lee Wallace joins us to revisit Wes Craven's slasher-reinvention "SCREAM" as it nears its 25th anniversary. We discuss the film's sensational cast of rising stars, its brilliant subversion of well-worn (and fundamentally conservative) slasher tropes, and the distinctively personal meditation on grief and loss that elevate the film beyond its genre constraints. We also talk the most recent developments in the ongoing IATSE nego...

BONUS: Movie Night Extravaganza - Blair Witch Factory

We recently joined our friends Forrest Miller and J. Andrew World on their livestream podcast Movie Night Extravaganza to revisit the 'The Blair Witch Project'.  In this audio of our livestream episode, we watch extensive media and interviews released near the film's 1999 Sundance and theatrical premieres, and expand upon some key points from our original 2020 episode, including the film's legacy as a vanguard of viral marketing and found-footage cinema, its appeal to a greater sen...

The Exorcist III feat. Bill Ryan *TEASER*

Get access to this entire episode as well as all of our premium episodes and bonus content by becoming a Hit Factory Patron for just $5/month. . . . For the month of October, we are donating all of our Patreon proceeds to the UAWD Reform fund for John Deere workers on strike. Please also consider donating to the fund directly. John Deere workers are already being arrested, going without health insurance, medical care & need picket line provisions. Solidarity with all workers!

Event Horizon feat. Mattie Lewis

Mattie Lewis is a St. Louis-based writer and co-host of The PodHand - a podcast delving into Kentaro Miura's Berserk, dark fantasy, horror and all things grimdark. She joins us to discuss a singular work in the sci-fi/horror canon, Paul W.S. Anderson's 'Event Horizon'. We chart the film's troubled production history, extol the virtues of Anderson's workmanlike approach to his craft, and explain why attempts at film comparisons fail to capture the potency of the movie's brilliant idi...

DOUBLE FEATURE: PEOPLE ARE STRANGE (The Addams Family & Addams Family Values) feat. Karlo Yeager Rodríguez *TEASER*

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SCOTTEMBER VOL. V - Crimson Tide feat. Zach Vasquez

SCOTTEMBER concludes with Tony's brilliant naval submarine action thriller 'Crimson Tide' featuring near-best performances from two titanic actors: Gene Hackman & Denzel Washington. Film writer Zach Vasquez returns to discuss the real-world geopolitics that inform the film's ideology, the script's racial undertones (and how much we might have Tarantino to thank), and why this might be our favorite Tony of them all. Plus - we finally give our definitive Top 5 Tony's. Follow Zach Vas...

SCOTTEMBER VOL. IV - The Last Boy Scout feat. We Need to Talk About Kevin *TEASER*

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SCOTTEMBER VOL. III - Enemy of the State feat. Gus Lanzetta

Writer and podcaster Gus Lanzetta joins us to discuss Tony Scott's prophetic surveillance technothriller 'Enemy of the State', starring Will Smith and Gene Hackman. We talk the who's-who ensemble of young 90s up and comers (including Jack Black, Jason Lee, and Seth Green), explore the film's libertarian-leaning (and liberal-indicting) perspective on national security, and make the case for Tony as the singular auteur capable of originating the visual language of surveillance cinema ...

SCOTTEMBER VOL. II - The Fan feat. Valerie Faye *TEASER*

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SCOTTEMBER VOL. I - Days of Thunder feat. Taylor Grimes

We kick off SCOTTEMBER with "the 'Chinatown' of racecar movies," and one of Tony's first films of the 1990s, 'Days of Thunder'. Taylor Grimes returns for his hat trick as we talk about the persistent popularity of NASCAR, Cole Trickle as a continuation of Tom Cruise's career-long delineation of the meritocratic mindset, and relish Robert Duvall dirty-talking a chassis. We also begin to sketch our working thesis of Tony Scott as Hollywood's seminal arbiter of cinematic pop art in the...

Hit Factory Presents: SCOTTEMBER!

Stargate feat. Owen Morawitz

Culture writer Owen Morawitz joins us to discuss Roland Emmerich's galaxy-hopping 1994 sci-fi action blockbuster 'Stargate'. With the help of the well-studied Owen, we unpack the film's open-ended  (sometimes shallow) mythology, examine 'Stargate' as a Gulf War parable, and briefly discuss the ongoing challenges of separating the art from the artist. Readings: Variety: 'Stargate Turns 25: How Roland Emmerich's Sci-Fi Classic Overcame a Chaotic Birth' Entertainment Weekly: 'James ...

UNLOCKED: Reality Bites feat. Sarah Jaffe

Sarah Jaffe is a reporting fellow at Type Media Center and the author of 'Work Won't Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keeps Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone'. She joins us in our den-of-slack to discuss 'Reality Bites' directed by Ben Stiller and starring some of your all-time 90s faves Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke, Janeane Garofalo, Steve Zahn, and Stiller himself. Topics include the flattening of class dynamics within the story's central love triangle, the myth of the "labor...

Heavenly Creatures feat. Kyle Turner

Film writer Kyle Turner joins us to discuss Peter Jackson's horror-fantasy thriller 'Heavenly Creatures', the movie that introduced the world to Kate Winslet and Melanie Lynskey. We discuss the film's bridging of Jackson's early horror experiments and his later fantasy epics, explore the colonial dynamics personified by the relationship at the center of its narrative, and canonize the film in the small pantheon of a "transcendent queer cinema". Consider supporting the podcast by b...

RocketMan *TEASER*

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Slacker feat. Robert Raymond

"Who's ever written the great work about the immense effort required not to create?" Robert Raymond of Upstream Podcast joins us to discuss Richard Linklater's breakout indie hit 'Slacker'. We go long on the film's radically impressionistic narrative form, the tepid nature of modern political cinema, and slacker culture's demise at the hands of the neoliberal project. Consider supporting the podcast by becoming a Hit Factory Patron for access to all of our premium episodes and bon...

The Last Seduction *TEASER*

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UNLOCKED: The Edge feat. Zach Vasquez

Film writer Zach Vasquez joins Hit Factory to discuss the David Mamet-penned wilderness survival thriller 'The Edge' starring Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin. Topics include the film's relationship to classic mythology, the frustrating politics of one of America's great storytellers, and praise for the exemplary performance of Bart the Bear. Consider supporting the podcast by becoming a Hit Factory Patron for access to all of our premium episodes and bonus content. Follow Zach V...

L.A. Confidential feat. Jesse Hawken

Toronto-based writer, filmmaker, and host of Junk Filter podcast Jesse Hawken joins us to discuss Curtis Hanson's thrilling 1997 crime epic "L.A. Confidential". We go long on the near-flawless narrative and aesthetic choices of the film's creators, its complex indictment of modern policing, and the complicated politics of the story's original architect, novelist James Ellroy. We also make the case for the film as a seminal "Dudes Rock" text. Consider supporting the podcast by beco...

Sandlerverse Vol. 1: The Wedding Singer & The Waterboy *TEASER*

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Close-Up feat. Roxana Hadadi

Pop culture critic Roxana Hadadi returns to discuss the landmark 1990 Iranian masterpiece 'Close-Up', directed by Abbas Kiarostami. We explore the film's multiple layers of artifice, the fundamental truths those layers reveal, and reflect on finding joy in Kiarostami's cinema of absence. Read Roxana's piece on 'Through the Olive Trees' at Bright Wall/Dark Room. . . . . Our theme song is 'Mirror' by Chris Fish.

UNLOCKED: The Matrix feat. Della Duncan

Renegade economist and host of Upstream Podcast Della Duncan joins us to discuss the Wachowskis' groundbreaking sci-fi action benchmark 'The Matrix'. We illuminate the film's bracing anti-capitalist critique, explore its undertheorized collectivist leanings, and reclaim the Red Pill as an emblem of left political action. . . . . Our them song is 'Mirror' by Chris Fish

Get Shorty feat. Rich Pierceall

Industry insider and returning guest Rich Pierceall joins us to discuss the pulpy Hollywood send-up 'Get Shorty'. We talk the resurgent success of Elmore Leonard adaptations in the 90s, Hollywood's enduring ties to the mob, and briefly touch upon the shape of cinema in the not-so-distant future. . . . . Our theme song is 'Mirror' by Chris Fish

Encino Man feat. Parents Just Don't Understand

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